Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories

New storage lockers located near a back entrance to the motherhouse of the Sisters’ monastery in Clyde, Mo., were brilliantly crafted by members of the maintenance staff, including Larry Jensen, Jared McQueen and Jeremy McQueen.

Sister Ruth Elaine stands next to her new locker, crafted from salvaged pine trees.

After coworker Don Combe renovated the space, the trio built the new lockers for Sisters to store coats, hats, gloves and other weather-related items.

In addition to their daily use, the lockers represent a part of Benedictine history. They were built from Austrian pines, once part of a large stand of trees planted under the direction of community chaplain Father Lukas Etlin, OSB in the early 1900s.
“Some of the trees gradually died from too much moisture after the floods in 1993,” Sister Sean Douglas, OSB said. “The excess moisture led to a fungus, and over the ensuing years, they all died.”
All was not lost, as the Sisters saved the wood, cut the logs in their saw mill, stored the lumber and use it for various projects around the monastery.
“As Benedictines, even in loss, we find beauty and a new purpose,” Clyde Prioress Sister Pat Nyquist, OSB said.

The week of the Christmas octave gives our Clyde community an opportunity to share some festive time with our monks from across the field at Conception Abbey.

Prioress General Sister Pat Nyquist, OSB and the Clyde Sisters welcomed Abbot Gregory Polan, OSB and about 30 monks for refreshments and refreshing conversation.

There was much joy and laughter, and we could not let the time end without regaling our gratitude for “our” monks in song. This is a time-honored tradition, and one we hope to continue for many, many years.

A word from our Prioress General Sister Pat on Advent:  O Come, Emmanuel

Advent is the season that allows us to give unabashed and full vent to our longings.  To long for something is to recognize that a gap exists between what is and what could be; that a piece is missing from the whole.  The human heart longs for justice and truth, mercy and forgiveness, peace and understanding, compassion and love.  The Advent scripture readings from the prophets, St. Paul and the evangelists fuel our longing for these human hungers as they hold out hope that God will bring us to safety and security and glorious redemption.

Our greatest longing, of course, is for God.  That most basic, primal longing is a mirror image of and response to God’s longing for us:

“God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” (Gen 3: 9)

“I will seduce her and lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” (Hos 2: 14)

“I myself took them in my arms; I drew them with bands of love.” (Hos 11: 4)

“How many times I yearned to gather your children, as a hen gathers her young.” (Mt 23: 37)

And our longing for God:

“God, you are my God, for you I long.” (Ps 63: 2)

“O Lord, our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” (St. Augustine)

“O Wisdom, come! O Root of Jesse, come! O Key of David, come!” (Advent Antiphons from Proverbs 8, Isaiah 11 and 22)

This delicate dance, this ebb tide pull between our Maker and ourselves comes to the fore during Advent as we experience the already yet not quite nature of the inbreaking of God’s kingdom.  St. Luke provides a pretty terrifying description of that day when the Son of man comes.  Some in our day say it will happen very soon, on December 21 as a matter of fact.  I suppose December 21, 2012 is as likely a day as any other for the Lord’s second coming.  No matter the day, what Advent teaches us is that the day is not as important as our being prepared for that day whenever it comes.  It is the longing within us that helps us prepare because our holy longings guide us to selfless choices, loving responses and right behavior.

In this Advent season, then, give vent to your holy longings, allow the Lord to enflame your heart, and spread your love far and wide beginning right here with one another in this house of God, our home.

O come, Desire of all peoples.  O come, Emmanuel.

Prioress General Sister Pat (left) and Formation Director Sister Lynn (right) with Rosa Cruz, our newest postulant

Asking for entrance into the Adoration Chapel…and the Congregation

We are delighted to announce that Rosa Cruz has entered our postulancy!

On Sunday, our Clyde, Missouri, community hosted the entrance ritual during Day Hour, which began with Rosa’s ceremonial knock for entrance into our Adoration Chapel. And, of course, we let her in!

Rosa, 25, is from San Luis, Arizona, and is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s of science degree in psychology.

During the next year, Rosa will live in community at the monastery, participate in personal and communal prayer and will further discern her monastic vocation. She will continue to wear her own clothing (our habits are reserved for professed Sisters) and take classes on a variety of subjects.

“The first Sunday of Advent is a very fitting day to celebrate Rosa’s entrance,” Formation Director Sister Lynn Marie. “Advent marks the beginning of the new Church year, and the postulancy is a beginning in monastic life. Both events are filled with expectancy, eagerness and the joyful hope that God’s promises to us will be fulfilled. I pray that Rosa’s trust in God and her courage to follow his call will continue to be her strength and that they will inspire others to give themselves in service to God and his Church.”

We are blessed with Rosa’s vocation and are joyed to share this journey with her. Please remember her in your prayers as she transitions to monastic life and discovers what the Lord has in store for her.

Our Clyde, Mo., Sisters hosted the annual luncheon to honor lay staff for their wonderful service throughout the year.

After a short table reading and blessing, the employees were treated to a yummy meal, which included Sister Cathleen Marie’s pumpkin parmesan muffins.

For their gift, we presented our employees with a historic piece of our monastery’s past: framed pieces of tin ceiling tiles that were salvaged from the portion of the main house that was deconstructed. Each tile was lovingly prepared by Sister Sean and framed with wood saved from Austrian pine trees lost during last year’s hail storm.

Prioress General and Clyde Prioress Sister Pat presents a historic piece of Clyde history to employee Dickie Henry 

To top things off, the Sisters performed a song written by Sister Marietta to show our appreciation.

Sister Rebecca (far left) and Sister Pat share tasty treats with the employees.

This time is always a special one for us. Our employees are our family, and we are blessed to be a part of their time and talents.

Clyde Superior Sister Pat Nyquist (right) draws the winning names for Sister Dawn Annette Mills

We are happy to announce the winners of our raffle, which took place during the blessing of our Clyde monastery on Sunday.

The winners are:

Gloria Brehm of Columbus, Ohio – the quilt

Elizabeth Brenner of Kansas City, Missouri – the pillow

Ron and Debbie Kordick of Shattuc, Illinois  - the tin picture frame

Aileen Richmond of Albany, Missouri – the gift box of Monastery Scents soap

Many thanks to everyone who registered! Each and every dollar of your donation will directly support the Sisters in our Congregation.

Sister Pat (left) and Sister Jane, the new superior and assistant superior, respectively, of the Clyde community

We celebrated Founder’s Day in style this year, installing the new leadership at our Clyde monastery after Lauds this morning.

We are excited to announce that Sister Pat Nyquist has been appointed superior of the Clyde community. She will be assisted by Sister Jane Heschmeyer.

Sister Pat was appointed Clyde superior, returning to the community leadership role she held as prioress from 2005 to 2008.

A native of Moorhead, Minn., she joined the Benedictine Order in 1974 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn., and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame.

The appointment will last two years, during that time she will continue her job as prioress general of the Congregation. She takes over from Sister Sean Douglas, who worked tirelessly to steer the Clyde community through the massive Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories renovation.

Sister Jane is originally from Kansas City, Mo., and entered the Benedictine Sisters in 1980. She wrapped up her term on the  General Council in 2008 and since then has served as a baker in the low-gluten altar bread department and as the Clyde community’s sacristan, preparing all the articles necessary in the celebration of Mass.

Sister Jane received degrees in sociology and psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in addition to her monastic studies at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. She was also instrumental in helping develop the Sisters’ low-gluten altar bread. She takes over the assistant superior role from Sister Judy Niesen upon the completion of her term.

The crowd gathers for the blessing ceremony

Family and friends gathered on Sunday, Sept. 2, at our Clyde monastery to celebrate the renovations made possible through the Sacred Stones, Sacred Stories project.

Sister Pat shares her thoughts

The day included addresses by Prioress Sister Pat Nyquist, OSB, Sister Sean Douglas, OSB, and Sister Dawn Annette Mills, OSB. The new entrance was blessed by dear friend Abbot Gregory Polan, OSB of nearby Conception Abbey.

Conception Abbey Abbot Gregory blesses the new entrance while Sister Pat looks on

Afterward, the doors were ceremoniously opened to welcome guests to view the newly renovated areas, including offices, lounge areas, gift shop and the new one-level entrance into the Adoration Chapel and Relic Chapel.

“It was wonderful to have so many people join us for the blessing,” Sister Pat said. “Among friends and family, it was a joyous day. We also delighted in seeing the lead architect, construction manager and some of their staff. We worked very closely as a team during the planning, the deconstruction and construction phases over the entire project, so it was most appropriate to share the joy of blessing with them.”

More photos can be viewed on Facebook by clicking here.

Prioress General Sister Pat Nyquist (left) installs Sister Gladys Noreen as the next superior of San Benito

We are excited to announce that Sister Gladys Noreen, OSB has been chosen to lead our San Benito Monastery in Dayton, Wyoming. She replaces Sister Josetta Grant, OSB who served wonderfully during her four-year term.

Learn more about Sister Gladys by visiting our online news center.

Prioress General Sister Pat

Prioress General Sister Pat reflects on St. Benedict’s Rule and how everyone can learn a little something from it.

Each year when the July-August issue of (Spirit&Life magazine) comes around, I view it as an opportunity to reflect with you on an aspect of the life and teachings of St. Benedict of Norcia, Italy.

As Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration we claim St. Benedict as our spiritual founder and guide. Fifteen centuries have elapsed since he wrote his rule, yet we are still delving into its depths and gleaning spiritual insights that have transformative power.

One of his insights that has the power for spiritual transformation is simply to listen. In St. Benedict’s mind listening allows us to quiet our inner noise in order to hear what God has to say to us. It is a means to lay aside our own will in order to obey God’s, and in that submission “the Lord in his love shows us the way of life” (RB Prologue:20).

A resolution to become better at listening can result in transformed relationships. Unnecessary strife can be avoided when parents or spouses listen to, rather than argue with, one another. Healing can be effected in families when misunderstandings are clarified through attentive listening—what St. Benedict would call listening with the ear of your heart.

When I observe and reflect on the over-stimulation that seems to be an out-growth of the never ending cacophony present in our culture, I cannot help but wonder what it is costing us in terms of spiritual growth and peaceful living. St. Benedict’s advice to “listen carefully to the master’s instructions and attend to them with the ear of your heart” (RB Prologue:1) could be a 6th century voice well worth listening to by those of us in the 21st.